Method and system for controlling data communication within a network

Abstract

A method for controlling data communication within a network with multiple interconnected network elements includes: generating a representation of the network; detecting changes in the network and updating the representation of the network; receiving a request from a client network element, wherein the request comprises information which identifies a source network element and at least two destination network elements; determining for each identified destination network element, a ranking value for the communication path between the source network element and the respective identified destination network element based on the representation of the network; generating an ordered list of the identified destination network elements based on the respective ranking values; transmitting the ordered list to the client network element from the central network element; and selecting, based on the ordered list, at least one of the identified destination network elements for data communication with the source network element.

1 - 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . A method for controlling data communication within a network with multiple interconnected network elements, comprising:
 generating, by a central network element associated with a network provider, a representation of the network based on at least one of retrieving network information or monitoring data communication within the network;   detecting changes in the network based on at least one of further retrieving network information or further monitoring data communication within the network and updating the representation of the network depending on the detected changes;   receiving, by the central network element, a request from a client network element, wherein the request comprises information which identifies a source network element and at least two destination network elements;   determining, by the central network element, for each identified destination network element, a ranking value for the communication path between the source network element and the respective identified destination network element based on the representation of the network;   generating an ordered list of the identified destination network elements base on the respective ranking values;   transmitting the ordered list to the client network element from the central network element; and   selecting, based on the ordered list, at least one of the identified destination network elements for data communication with the source network element.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the client network element generates the request in response to receiving a request from the source network clement, and wherein the client network element transmits a response to the source network element depending on the ordered list provided by the central network element. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the request is converted into a request of a pre-defined unified format. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein requests are only processed by the central network element which are received from an authorized client network element and which identify an authorized source network element, and wherein the authorization of at least one of the client network element or the source network element is checked depending on at least one of an identification of the client network element or an identification of the source network clement comprised in the request. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the ranking values are determined by a pro-defined ranking function which is selected from a pre-defined set of ranking functions based on information in the request, 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein at least one pre-defined ranking function is dynamically adapted depending on detected changes of the network. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein a plurality of requests are analyzed and statistical information is determined on at least one of:
 the frequency with which, requests are received from individual client network elements;   the frequency with individual source network elements are identified in the respective requests; or   the frequency with individual destination network elements are identified in the respective requests; and   
       wherein the statistical information is used for determining the ranking values. 
     
     
         23 . A system for controlling data communication within a network with multiple interconnected network elements, the system being arranged in at least one central network element associated with a network provider, comprising:
 a retrieval sub-system for at least one of retrieving network information or monitoring data communication within the network;   a network map generator sub-system for generating and updating a representation of the network based on data received from the retrieval sub-system;   a network map database for storing the representation of the network;   a query manager sub-system for receiving, processing and responding to a request from a client network element, wherein the request comprises information which identifies a source network element and at least two destination network elements;   a path ranking sub-system, which is adapted to determine, for each destination network element identified in a request from a client network element, a ranking value for the communication path between the source network clement and the respective destination network element based on the stored representation of the network   wherein the query manager sub-system is adapted to generate a response to a request and transmit the response to the client network element from which the request was received, wherein the response comprises an ordered list of the destination network elements identified in the request, and wherein the list is determined on the basis of respective ranking values provided by the path ranking sub-system.   
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 23 , further comprising a request translator sub-system for converting a request received from the client network element into a request of a pre-defined unified format. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein the path ranking sub-system is adapted to determine the ranking values by a pre-defined ranking function which is selected by the path ranking sub-system from a pre-defined set of ranking functions based on information in the request. 
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein at least one pre-defined ranking function is dynamically adapted depending on detected changes of the network. 
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 23 , further comprising:
 a frequent hitter detection sub-system which is adapted to analyze a plurality of requests and to determine statistical information on at least one of:
 the frequency with which requests are received from individual client network elements; 
 the frequency with which individual source network elements are identified in the respective requests; or 
 the frequency with which individual destination network elements are identified in the respective requests; and 
   wherein the statistical information is provided to the path ranking sub-system for determining the ranking values.   
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 23 , comprising a backup sub-system which is adapted to make a backup of the representation of the network at pre-defined times, to store any detected changes in the network since the last backup, and to retrieve the representation of the network based on the last backup and the stored changes in case of a failure. 
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 23 , further comprising a network element adapted to generate the request, transmit the request to the system, and process a response received from the system. 
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 29 , wherein the network element is further adapted to generate and transmit the request to the system in response to receiving a request from the source network element, and to transmit a response to the source network element depending on the response received from the system.